BRUSH - The Beetdiggers were no match for Tiger bats as they hosted a soggy Saturday home opener at Joslin/Needham Field that saw Sterling lay down 17 hits and 14 runs for the 14-0 win.

After families and fans of Digger softball pitched in to drain the diamond of Friday rains, the field proved ripe for the Diggers to post a win over their District 3 foes, for the first time since the Tigers dropped to 3A. But Sterling came in with purpose and power, knocking in two runs in the first frame to spark the streak. The Tiger team suffered a loss to Valley to open their own season opener but came back with a vengeance to prove just why they are the returning state runners-up.

Brush senior and third-baseman Lauren Staley, along with junior short-stop Alex Odle, proved the only two Diggers to put in hits on the day, versus the 17 that Sterling dropped in through five innings. From short-game bunts to stout cuts deep into the outfield, Brush simply couldn't keep up with Tiger tenacity.

Sterling's own Jenna Knudson brought in a second-inning RBI to score teammate Alexis Rutz to take the lead to 3-0 and the third inning saw the squad earn a 4-0 lead, but a furious fourth inning sparked by a Taylor Knudson bunt-on-base took the Tiger lead to a whopping 11-0 with seven Sterling scores from Taylor and Jenna Knudson, Lauren Szabo, Megan Kaiser and junior Halee Woltemath who knocked in a great hit as the bases were loaded. Senior Sarah Krueger turned out a 2-run RBI double.

Sterling would turn out three more runs to finish the fifth inning, and the win.

Starting Brush pitcher and senior Christina Frick put in nearly all five innings on the mound before making way for teammate Lauren Berg to throw out the final few pitches. Frick allowed 17 hits, 14 runs, 5 walks and struck out 4 in her home debut.

The match-up was just the first in a long-line of tough conference games for the Diggers, who managed to start the season with a spectacular win in Greeley, but will need to muster more as they take on top 3A teams in their District 3 conference, such as the Valley Vikings, who come off their own season opening win over Sterling. Brush will travel to the home of the Vikings on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Varsity first pitch is slated for 4 p.m., and JV for 5:30 p.m. With a record of 1-1, head coach Tom Odle will rally his troops to post powerful wins as the season takes shape.

Greeley

It was a battle to the finish but the Brush Beetdigger softball squad slid in a win during their first game of the season Thursday against Greeley Central.

"We started off hitting the ball so well," said head coach Tom Odle of his diamond Diggers, "but we got a little lax with our bats and allowed them to tie us 5-5."

Brush bats soon woke up to help the Diggers score another seven runs, taking their lead to 12-5, but the Greeley Central Wildcats took up the challenge, coming back to close in 12-11.

"Our girls hung on for the win, in the end though," said Odle. "It will just get harder from here, because we have a tough league. But I'm very happy with the girls performance."

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